• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Cardinal William H. Keeler meets at his residence May 20 with Cardinal Peter Turkson (right), archbishop of Cape Coast in Ghana. (CR file)

Cardinal Turkson says African Catholics have numbers, but faith must mature

May 26, 2005
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Local News, News, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

While the Catholic Church in Africa is experiencing rapid growth and large numbers of religious vocations, Cardinal Peter Turkson of Cape Coast, Ghana, said he worries about the nature of the growth.

In an interview with The Catholic Review during a visit to Baltimore May 18- 19, Cardinal Turkson said it is not enough to have large numbers of people on parish registries and in Catholic schools. The church must also encourage genuine conversion, he said.

“It is true that the church in Africa is thriving,” Cardinal Turkson said. “But we also have had a certain type of catechesis that is not too deep. Traditional cultures and values are not too radically transformed by the values of the Gospel. We need a more deeply rooted experience of conversion.”

Cardinal Turkson pointed to the genocide and war that has plagued Rwanda as an example of how some Catholics on his continent have not fully embraced the Gospel message.

“It was supposed to be 80 percent Catholic, but they forgot they were Catholic and they forgot they were Christian,” Cardinal Turkson said. “There was terrible loss of life. Evangelization needs to be radical so that traditional values are challenged and transformed.”

Cardinal Turkson said he is saddened to see the church struggling in Europe. It was European missionaries who brought the Catholic faith to Africa. Catholics of his continent look to Europeans as their spiritual parents, he said.

“It’s indispensable that we see Christianity come back to Europe,” said Cardinal Turkson. “ If Europe should become less Christian, it gives us a sense of being orphans, of having an experience of faith without parents.”

Cardinal Turkson said it hurts evangelization efforts in Africa when people look at Europe and see that those who encouraged Africans to embrace the faith are now abandoning it.

“I’m glad the new pope is from the north again,” said Cardinal Turkson, who celebrated a May 19 Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Benedict XVI at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City. “I pray that the fact that he comes from Europe will provide a new springtime of faith for Europe.”

In a diocese made up of about 300,000 Catholics, Cardinal Turkson said he is encouraged that many men and women respond to the call to religious life. Two years ago, 17 men were ordained to the priesthood in Cape Coast. Religious formation must ensure that candidates “ embrace the sacrifices that are involved,” he said.

Because of the high number of vocations, Cardinal Turkson sends some of his priests to other parts of the world where few are available. There are currently four of his Cape Coast priests in Canada, two in Seattle and several in New York and Europe. The cardinal is studying sending clerics to South Africa, he said.

Cardinal Turkson visited Baltimore on his way to Connecticut for the ordination of a Franciscan friar.

In addition to meeting with Cardinal William H. Keeler and Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Ghana’s first cardinal also celebrated a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

Copyright © 2005 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • superman Movie Review: Superman

  • Hunt Valley parishioner recalls her former student – a future pope

  • Deacon Gary Elliott Dumer Jr., active in men’s ministry, dies

  • Loyola University Maryland graduate ordained Jesuit priest

  • care of creation Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass

| Latest Local News |

Scopes Monkey Trial ignited century-long debate on evolution and belief 

Deacon Gary Elliott Dumer Jr., active in men’s ministry, dies

Radio Interview: The music and ministry of Seph Schlueter

Hunt Valley parishioner recalls her former student – a future pope

Father Herman Benedict Czaster, former Curley teacher, dies at 86

| Latest World News |

Poll: Record-high percentage of U.S. adults say immigration good for country

Patriarchs support Christian communities attacked by Israeli settlers in solidarity visit

Pope Leo visits Italian Carabinieri station, Poor Clares during summer break

1 officer dead, 3 seminarians kidnapped after attack on Nigerian seminary

Trump administration to appeal after judge blocks ICE detentions based on race

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Poll: Record-high percentage of U.S. adults say immigration good for country
  • Scopes Monkey Trial ignited century-long debate on evolution and belief 
  • Patriarchs support Christian communities attacked by Israeli settlers in solidarity visit
  • Pope Leo visits Italian Carabinieri station, Poor Clares during summer break
  • 1 officer dead, 3 seminarians kidnapped after attack on Nigerian seminary
  • Trump administration to appeal after judge blocks ICE detentions based on race
  • Remember common decency in immigration enforcement
  • Sponsors – for life
  • Listen for God this summer

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en